Kiss And Make Up
by Danko Kaji
Summary: Three-shot, AU – Yuna is bedridden with fever and heartbreak, and it's her ex-boyfriend who comes to take care of her. /Yunalai/
1. Kiss & Make Up

Kiss and Make Up

**Definition:** to resolve a quarrel; to become reconciled; to become friends/lovers again; to renew friendship/relationship after a feud.

* * *

"_Look what happens when you get careless! I've told you many times to take better care of yourself. Yuna, you can't blindly trust every guy you meet. They'll take advantage of your naivety and you won't even realize it!"_

_A soft, kind, and loving baritone male voice is now full of hurt, anger, and worry. A sweet, innocent, and demure young lady is now timid, anxious, and ashamed._

"_I-I'm sorry… I d-didn't know h-he would…" she hiccups tearfully, "…do that…"_

Yuna jolted awake, panting raggedly, beads of sweat tickling her brow. Her eyes were glued shut, refusing to open. Her head was in a hopeless state of sluggishness, preventing her from coherently gathering her thoughts together. The room felt so stuffy and warm that she could hardly breathe.

_Too much heat,_ she groaned soundlessly, as she fidgeted restlessly in bed unable to move. _Huh? Why am I...?_ In the midst of her grogginess, it took some time for her to realize she was trapped in a tight cocoon of thick blankets. She feebly struggled to free herself while barely clinging on to consciousness. _Darn this fever… I should be at school right now, not at home sick..._

Even though the door to her bedroom opened slowly and carefully, the unexpected intrusion startled her. _Mom? Dad? They're home? What time is it?_ Yuna immediately stilled and feigned sleep, hearing the faint rustle of clothing and the quiet shuffle of footsteps. The person silently passed by her bed until they paused to unlock the window and slide it open, bringing a whiff of fresh, cool air to breeze inside. Yuna welcomed it gratefully, and flinched when a cool damp piece of cloth touched her scorching hot forehead, gingerly wiping the sweat clean off. The stark contrast in temperature soothed her, quelling the unbearable hotness of her skin, and then a palm gently pressed against her forehead to check her fever.

"…still burning up," a male voice whispered, being cautious not to awaken her. _This doesn't sound like Dad. Who is this? _Yuna felt his fingers brush the tendrils of hair stuck to her face, carefully tucking them behind her ears. It felt comforting, this familiar affectionate touch. She could feel his reluctance when his hand drifted to stroke her flushed cheek. A wistful sigh slipped past his lips. "Yuna…" _It can't be… Is it… is it really him? _

The moment he stopped and pulled his hand back, she panicked. _He's not going to leave, is he? No, not yet! _With a short burst of strength she didn't know she possessed, with what being sick and all, Yuna blindly reached out and hastily snatched his hand. This action elicited a surprised gasp from him.

"…w-wait…" she croaked hoarsely, desperately, clutching his hand tightly - afraid this might be the only chance to talk to him. The hesitation she felt from him in the silence soon led to him sitting down on the mattress beside her, cradling her hand in the loving security of his grip.

Yuna struggled to open her eyes, because she wanted to see him so much. In all honesty, she couldn't believe the boy was here, taking care of her. Lately, he had been avoiding her like the plague since their break-up days ago. Fluttering her eyes open, she blinked slowly and found the distasteful white ceiling glaring right back at her. Holding no interest to her, she averted her eyes. The person who held her hand was a teenaged boy with snow white hair, and tan skin. His bangs fell softly onto his forehead, accentuating his gentle brown eyes. He was wearing a forest green t-shirt over a white sweater, and beige khakis.

"Ba… Baralai…" The seventeen-year-old sickly girl produced a weak, weary smile. Delighted to receive a smile he hadn't seen for so long Baralai grinned in return, albeit a bit nervous.

"Hi, Yuna. How do you feel?" he greeted bashfully, charming her with his usual boyish smile. Hearing him now, Yuna wanted to cry. His voice had such a wonderful, healing effect on her lovesick heart, it made the pain she felt for the past few weeks disappear.

"…b-bad…" Yuna coughed, and took a painfully deep breath, "H… h-horrible." Finally acknowledging the state of her dry and scratchy throat, Baralai moved closer and took it upon himself to assist her to get up from bed, but not before asking for permission to lay hands on her.

"Um… may I?"

"Oh, y-yes…" she remarked quietly, although upset by his awkward behavior. It's not like he hadn't touched her before; sometimes, Yuna disliked the gentleman in him.

He pulled the two blankets down and gripped her sides, pulling her to sit upright against the headboard. On reflex, Yuna wound her fingers around his forearms, next tightening her grip on him to balance herself. Taking his time, he shifted her into a more comfortable position - if only to stall the moment to let go of her.

"Here. Drink this." He handed her the glass of water, which was conveniently left on the bedside table. He tilted it to her lips so she could swallow it in small, gradual quantities. However, Yuna desired to quench the thirst of her awfully parched throat as soon as possible and couldn't bear to wait. Clasping the glass over his hands, she tilted it higher in order to finish the entire contents in large, hasty gulps. Once she was done, Baralai placed the empty glass cup down, impressed by her enthusiasm.

"Would you like to rest some more? Are you hungry?" he asked kindly, his voice full of concern. "I'm making chicken soup right now, but it won't be ready for another half hour or so." Old habits truly do die hard. Baralai couldn't bring himself to stop caring about her well-being, especially when her parents had phoned him after school, and begged him to come over and look after her because they needed to leave for work. He just had to go and see her, because if he didn't, Baralai would never forgive himself. "Why don't you take a shower while I finish cooking the soup?"

No response. He did a double take when he found out she had dozed off blissfully from the sound of his relaxing voice. "Yuna? Are you awake?" She started, and lifted her face to look at him. Her half-lidded blue-green eyes held sleepiness and apology.

"Sorry… very tired…" she murmured, raising a free hand to cover her yawning mouth. Despite having the chance to sleep in, Yuna still felt overwhelmingly fatigued.

His frown softened to a smile. "I understand."

"Um... what were you saying earlier?" she asked with an embarrassed giggle, lifting a hand to touch her hair. Good thing the fever camouflaged her self-conscious blush.

"I said; why not take a shower while I finish cooking the soup?" Baralai watched her think silently to herself. _I am rather hungry, though, but... the food's not ready, yet and I'm all sweaty from the fever. I must look really bad right now. Hmm... a shower it is, then._ While waiting patiently for Yuna to respond, a mischievous thought crept into his head. He smirked. This opportunity was too perfect to pass up. "Or do you need my help in that, too? I don't mind joining you." He gave an endearing suggestive smile that nearly bewitched Yuna to say yes. However, her rational state of mind remained strong and she flushed intensely at his proposal.

"B-Baralai!" she exclaimed, flustered, coughing from the strain she exerted on her lungs. Baralai laughed, ecstatic, not even bothering to mind his own manners. Oh, how he had missed teasing her. It was too much fun.

Self-consciously, she clenched her hands over her rapidly beating heart, trying to ease her excitement. "Couldn't help myself," he admitted finally. It shocked him how easily they fell back into routine, when mere hours ago the two were deeply depressed about their falling out. Baralai now realized that maybe the fight shouldn't have affected them too greatly. Recalling back on it now, it wasn't worth it.

Woozy from the simple, strenuous movements she had to perform; Yuna leaned forward on Baralai, seeking the support of his body. Out of instinct, he curled his arms around her, unsure of what to make of this embrace. Although their petty argument haunted his mind, it had been too long since he had held her in his arms that he wanted to savor the moment a while longer. When he didn't push her off like she had half-expected, Yuna closed her eyes and snuggly tucked her face in the curve of his shoulder.

The light aroma of Eternity, a cologne by Calvin Klein, teased her nose. It blended seamlessly with his natural scent. Yuna took a deep breath to relish the luxurious fragrance; sweet with a dash of spice, masculine, fresh, and nostalgic.

"You smell good…" she murmured, sighing in content. God, she missed him. Maybe it was the fever, but she couldn't think right now. To feel him in her arms again and to hear his solid heart beats pulsing against her cheek, it was heaven. She loved him like you wouldn't believe. If only Baralai knew how much the break-up pained her. His feelings on the fight, however, reciprocated hers.

"I am willing… to forget about our fight for today," Baralai spoke solemnly, his voice pleading. "I'm going to take care of you until you get better. So, no negative feelings, okay?"

"I don't mind." Though her voice was muffled in his shirt, he understood what she said. "I prefer this… over fighting." Next, she raised her hands to curl her fingers around the back of his neck, twiddling the tips of his hair. Before long, she began stroking the back of his head, gently intertwining her fingers into his hair and tenderly scratching his scalp. Yuna knew this pleasured him by the sound of his long, contented sigh.

He squeezed her closer to him, and muttered forlornly, "I've missed you."

"Me, too…" Silent tears streamed down her cheeks, becoming absorbed in the fabric of his shirt. She wanted to forget their fight had ever happened. The argument, which started the heartbreak and misery. It's what they both wanted.

* * *

**(A/N): **My Valentine's gift to you, my readers! =D It's too bad I couldn't finish the entire thing by yesterday. There's two more parts of this short story. The second chapter will reveal the crux of Yuna and Baralai's argument and the extent of Baralai's ill temper. XD I can't wait to finish it.

R & R, please! Make that a gift for me.


	2. Confession

Confession

"Deep in my heart I'm concealing things that I'm longing to say. Scared to confess what I'm feeling - frightened you'll slip away." ~Madonna

* * *

Baralai sliced the raw chicken meat at a leisurely pace while listening to a new, popular song on the radio. Borrowed from Yuna's room, the contraption had been placed on the countertop two feet away - streaming music to help pass the time. Five young ladies sung in chorus a melancholic, lyrical, and enchanting melody. His hums were drawn-out and smooth, touched with a light timbre of sadness - following along to the rhythm of the music.

_'The world slows down but my heart beats fast right now… _

_I know this is the part where the end starts…'_

The water started boiling noisily, briefly interrupting his tune. Baralai turned the knob to MED HIGH, before pushing aside the chunks with the flat side of the butcher knife and repeating the same actions with a new slab of meat. He allowed his thoughts to drift. To see Yuna again, coupled with the fact she's handling herself quite well despite the fever, eased his worries. He'd better keep himself occupied and forget about their misgivings for the rest of the day to take full responsibility of her health. That was the important thing right now.

_'I hate this part right here… _

_I hate this part right here… _

_I just can't take your tears… _

_I__ hate this part right here…_'

After sliding the meat off the cutting board and into the pot, Baralai turned on the water faucet to rinse the juice off the knife, scrubbing it free of bacteria with a soapy sponge. Once he finished washing it, Baralai turned the water faucet off and was about to place the knife aside for later use when the loud, piercing sound of a ringing telephone echoed within the kitchen. It nearly startled him to drop the butcher knife onto his foot, but God bless his fast reflexes.

"Huh, I wonder who might be calling…" he mumbled, dismissing the annoying, raucous rings with practiced tolerance while waiting patiently for the message machine to pick it up. Baralai placed the knife down on the countertop, next going to search inside the refrigerator for the veggies in need of the chicken soup. "I hope Braska doesn't mind if I use his food," Baralai muttered idly to himself, withdrawing the ingredients and spreading the vegetables out neatly on the dining table. He began to unwrap the plastic off the parsley when he heard the last voice he ever wanted to hear.

"Yuna, baby! It's me Gippal." Baralai frowned viciously at his friend's obnoxious voice. _What is he calling Yuna's house for?_ "I noticed you weren't at school today. Broke my little heart, you know." _Oh, please._ Baralai rolled his eyes and scoffed apathetically, and then proceeded to retrieve a new clean cutting board for the vegetables from the drawer. If he could imagine the carrots as his best friend, the energy put forth in cutting them would increase zealously. "Anyway, are we still up for this weekend? I know you've said no already, but c'mon. Lighten up."

_Be calm. Be calm. Must be calm._ It was a mantra he repeated over and over in his head to keep a tight leash on his emotions - and it was working. _Do not let him get the better of you_, he assured himself, taking deep and even breaths. When it became easier to ignore Gippal's voice, Baralai resumed his task as if nothing had happened. Before long, a new song began to play on the radio. "So what if you're not in the mood? You can't be depressed forever. Move on with your life. There's more fish in the sea. I'll make you forget all about Baralai. C'mon, it'll be fun~!" And then his unwavering calm composure shattered into a thousand pieces. Baralai seriously couldn't take it anymore.

_Oh, like hell I'll let him do that._ The enraged teenager basically did what any guy who had a backstabbing best friend would do: he thrust the almighty butcher knife to cut the phone line dead. Exhaling a deep breath to steady his riled emotions, Baralai retracted his weapon and laid the blunt edge on his shoulder, scowling darkly at the object as if it was the source of all his woes. _Gippal is a dead man, for sexually harassing my ex-girlfriend._ Baralai just had to take his anger out on the poor, innocent telephone since Gippal wasn't physically present to be maimed excruciatingly slow. Then, he exhaled, releasing the stifling pressure in his chest.

_Might as well get back to cooking…_ Next, taking a side-long glance at the decapitated phone, he sighed - a twinge of guilt prickling his conscience. _I better remember to apologize to Yuna's father later for damaging his property._

To channel his anger out in a more productive manner without harming further house appliances, Baralai continued to slice and dice the celery sticks, parsley, and carrots with frightening, lightning-fast precision. Frequently, he would dump the contents sharply into the pot until there were none left. His emotions eventually began to mellow down. _At least something good came out of this._ It was the optimist in him, to unearth anything positive within even the most miserable, depressing of circumstances. _I got to have a chance to spend time with Yuna._ Thus, he began to hum again, following the rapid rhythm of the festive song while rummaging through the cabinets in search of a medicine sufficient for Yuna's fever.

'**Cause you're hot then your cold, **

**You're yes then you're no, **

**You're in then you're out, **

**You're up then you're down~' **

Dayquil? No. The orange-flavored concoction tasted unbelievably horrible, and Baralai could sympathize. Tylenol? Oh, God, no. Medicine of the Devil himself. The accursed medicine was responsible for many deaths sweeping across the nation. How could Yuna's parents be so careless as to not be aware of its fatal side-effects if chosen to foolishly overdose on it? Nonetheless, Baralai took the liberty of throwing it away.

He finally settled on aspirin pills. These would do. Placing the container aside with the refilled glass of water, he stood in front of the stove and gripped the wooden spoon in hand, churning the steaming hot soup with slow, easy motions. Then, after a few moments, lifted the spoon to his lips and cautiously tasted the broth. _Tasty, if I do say so myself._ He smiled, quite proud with his achievement.

'**You're wrong when it's right, **

**It's black and it's white, **

**We fight, we break up, **

**We kiss, we make up~ **

**You don't really want to stay, no~ **

**You don't really wanna go-o~' **

Baralai heard the stairs creak, and the uneven stump of footsteps. _Yuna?_ He placed the glass lid over the pot, leaving a small gap for the steam to escape through. Next wiping his hands with a clean rag, he turned off the radio and exited the kitchen to inspect the noise.

To his dismay, he found Yuna, freshly showered and garbed in warm clothing like he had advised, leaning on the wall for support near the bottom of the stairs. She tried to maintain her laborious, shallow breathing, though struggling with the effort. _Should she really be up and about walking by herself? This girl is begging for trouble._ Baralai was immediately brought out of his mental grumbling when seeing her sway from where she stood. _Uh-oh. That doesn't look good…_ When she suddenly collapsed, Baralai rushed to her side and tucked her into his arms, making his way to the living room. Next, he carefully placed her down on the couch to rest, laying her head gingerly on a square-shaped, multi-colored pillow.

"Why did you leave the room? You could have waited for me to help you," he chastised, his tone firm and ridden with worry.

"I don't… want to wait…" she whispered breathlessly, grasping his hand in both of hers. "I want you… right here…" Directing his hand to rest over her heart, she closed her eyes and gulped, woozy from the fever. He remained silent, astonished and unblinking, his mind slow at registering her words. The innocent vulnerability she portrayed, the glazed, sensuous look in her eyes, and the rosy blush coloring her cheeks - he wanted to kiss her senseless. Fortunately, his willpower was stronger than to succumb to lust.

"M-must be the fever talking…" he stuttered, dazed, standing up and retreating into the kitchen. "What she needs… is her medicine..." Raising a hand to ruffle his hair nervously, it took moments for him to recollect his nerves and quell his fluttering heart before he remembered why he left the living room in the first place. Once he retrieved the medicine and cup of water, Baralai hurriedly jogged back to her side. Upon hearing the sound of miniscule objects rolling inside a bottle, she opened her weary eyelids and carefully sat upright to see Baralai kneeled down right next to her, uncapping a small container.

"What's that?" she asked suspiciously.

"Medicine. To help fight your fever." Tilting the container downwards, he shook it lightly for two oval pills to roll out onto his palm. Next, he held it out for her to take. "Here. You can drink it with water."

A frown marred her flushed cheeks, eyeing the pills with utter disdain. "I don't like medicine."

"It's supposed to make you feel better," he reassured, but she shook her head vigorously.

"No. I can get better without it."

"True, but it will take a lot longer for you to recover," Baralai pressed, impatience grating on his nerves. _This is no time to act like a child._ In retaliation, the feverish girl crossed her arms and stubbornly turned her face the other way. He scowled darkly, frustrated. _That's it!_ "If that's how you're going to be…" Popping the pills into his mouth, he snatched the glass of water vehemently and poured it into his mouth (without drinking it). After placing the cup back down, he cupped her face in both of his hands to firmly lock lips with her. The gasp she elicited from surprise gave him the opening he needed to deposit the medicine and water into her mouth. She was coerced to swallow while fisting her hands angrily in his shirt, trying to shove him away, but the fever had sapped most of her strength. Besides, he was much too strong for her.

After Yuna took one last gulp, Baralai detached himself from her and wiped his lips. "There." He sighed, smug of his accomplishment. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" He froze, whip lashed with surprise and disbelief. _Goodness, I just kissed her._ The revelation made him want to smack himself over the head. _But it was for the betterment of her health. _Yuna coughed and wheezed for air. She stared off into space, flustered, a hand idly covering her mouth. For some reason, she couldn't focus. The strain from having to drink that medicine, and… the moist softness of his lips… _If that's what it took for him to kiss me, then by God, be angry whenever you want._ She was too dazed to even voice that out loud.

Perturbed by her unusual silence, Baralai sat down beside her and called her name. Instead of replying, she lifted her eyes to his for a brief moment, and then lowered them to his lips. _I want… to kiss him again._ Compelled by this desire, she leaned forward, but was stopped when he suddenly laid a hand on her cheek, having already guessed her intention. Baralai restrained both her and himself from closing the distance, no matter how much he wanted to.

Dismayed of the rejection, she opened her eyes, glazed with hurt. "Is this a dream?"

"Hm?" In response to his confusion, she smiled a dejected smile, next lowering her head to lay on his shoulder. She slowly flexed her hand out on his chest and curiously traced his muscles, fascinated.

"You feel real…" His face grew warm, on account of the pleasure he felt from her affection. _This feels too good,_ he thought, closing his eyes, submitting under her touch for a single moment. The regret and self-blame he felt, and his past carelessness, his failure to carry out his responsibility, it disgusted him. If only he had been more keen of Gippal's actions, if only. Granted, Baralai believed Gippal wouldn't harass Yuna out of respect for his best friend, but now he regretted putting such blind trust into him. What's worse, Yuna followed his example. He felt undeserving of their loving relationship for having failed to protect her from something he should've seen coming. When Baralai was about to reach his limit, he grabbed her hand to halt her. "…stop." The slim wrist clasped within his hand, his thumb rubbing over cream skin; it served as his solitary solace.

Saddened by his reproach, she whispered, "You don't love me?" Speechless with guilt, he chose not to reply. Disappointed she did not receive a response from him, Yuna pulled away slightly and gazed straight into his eyes. "Will you… will you still be here? When I wake up?"

"…yes." His voice, a light tremble of uncertainty.

"You won't disappear, will you?"

"No, I won't."

"I want… to forget our fight. I want to forget… all the bad things. I want you and me… happy… together." She sighed; sleep beginning to dominate the corners of her mind.

"I feel the same," he automatically said, this honest sentiment nestled deep inside his heart. There was no denying it. It's like their separate train of thought rode on the same track.

"I'm glad…" she murmured, her breathing becoming slow, steady, and relaxed. Baralai watched fondly the way her eyelids drooped shut and, touching her cheek, gently laid her down on the couch to rest. "…will you… brush my hair…?" A slow smile slipped onto her lips due to his silent compliance. She enjoyed the feel of his fingers stroking her tendrils of chestnut brown hair. After prolonged moments of deliberation, Baralai stood up and, snatching a folded blanket on the other end of the couch, swept it out over her body and tenderly tucked her in.

"Sweet dreams," he whispered, pecking her forehead.

Believing Baralai was no longer angry at her, especially himself, she confessed. "……I love you." Soft, simple, and sincere.

This once, Baralai didn't hesitate. "I love you, too."

Alas, she did not hear him. She had fallen asleep, oblivious to his confession.

* * *

**(A/N): **The second chapter seemed harder to write, maybe because of the content. Anyway, I added two songs for the sake of originality, I Hate This Part by **Pussycat Dolls** and Hot 'N Cold by **Katy Perry** respectively. I hope you weren't annoyed by that. I spared you from writing the entire lyrics, cuz I know how you feel. lol

Review, please. :)


	3. Happy Ending?

Ch. 3: Happy Ending?

Happiness and sadness run parallel to each other. When one takes a rest, the other one tends to take up the slack. ~Hazelmarie Elliott ("Mattie")

* * *

Heat.

Yuna felt it everywhere, especially around her hand. Peeling her eyes open, she shifted her gaze to the man who knelt down against the couch beside her. He appeared to be lost in thought, his gaze transfixed on their joined hands.

"D-daddy?" Yuna spoke, her voice raspy. _How long have I been out?_

"Yes, it's me." Her father rubbed his hand across her forehead affectionately, checking her temperature. It had decreased drastically since this morning, he noted with a relieved smile. "How are you feeling?"

Not as bad as she was earlier. Baralai had done a splendid job on taking care of her. Speaking of which…

Yuna stiffly tilted her head left from right like a lonely puppy, sadly discovering he was nowhere in sight. "Where… w-where is Baralai?" She coughed quietly. "Is he s-still here…?"

"Oh," Braska began with a knowing smile, "He stayed by your side until your mother and I arrived back home. He wanted to stay longer, but couldn't because he needed to finish his homework for school." Disappointment creased her face, and she lay back down on the couch with a huff. Yuna had hoped to wake up before he left; at least, to be able to spend more time with him.

Attempting to brighten up her spirits, Braska said, "Did you try the soup he made? I have a feeling you'll like it." Her stomach rumbled in hunger, pretty much answering for her. "Stay put. I'll come with a bowl--."

"N-no, I-I'll…" she paused, clearing her painfully dry throat, "I should g-get up. Work out my limbs a little..."

Admiring her determination not to be helpless all day, Braska stood and offered a hand, which she gratefully took. They gradually made their way to the kitchen arm-in-arm, washing and rinsing their hands at the sink, before Braska guided Yuna to her seat. Yuna quietly made herself comfortable, patiently watching her father move to prepare a bowl for her, tapping her fingers rhythmically on the table's wooden surface.

She could only imagine how it must've looked when Baralai made himself comfortable, moving around in her kitchen. If she hadn't been sleeping most of the day… _Have I been a nuisance to him? Mom and Dad must have persuaded him to come or else he wouldn't have come in the first place. _A sweaty hand clenched the thick hem of her shirt. She shouldn't forget the fact that they're in the middle of a break-up, but her lovesick heart refused to acknowledge it.

Something soft touched her forehead, tearing her away from her thoughts, and Yuna curiously looked up and allowed a fond smile to appear on her face. "Hi, mom," said Yuna as her mother tenderly stroked her fever-soaked auburn hair, tucking some of it affectionately behind her ear, before pecking her forehead.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart? Much better?" The optimistic tone in her voice charmed Yuna into replying with new found vigor.

"Much better."

The middle-aged blonde-haired woman grinned wide, and grudgingly detached herself from Yuna to approach the sink, eyeing the pile of dirty dishes with distaste, knowing it was her turn tonight.

Braska placed a bowl of chicken soup on the table and sat down next to her, carefully lifting a spoonful of broth and meat to his lips. He blew softly to cool it down before directing it to her lips. Yuna speechlessly swallowed, savoring the taste. They remained comfortably quiet the whole time, and repeated the process for the next twelve minutes. The clinking of plates and utensils along with running water resounded in the background.

_I can feed myself_, she thought, because her pride warranted to, but couldn't help admit she loved to be spoiled.

"I'm stuffed," Yuna chirped, patting her stomach happily.

"You must've been pretty hungry," Braska remarked, impressed that she had eaten almost the entire thing.

Yuna blushed, self-conscious. _If only Baralai stayed long enough for me to thank him for the soup. _It's as if the fog shrouding her mind had finally been lifted. _I can call him instead. What was I thinking?_ Eager by the prospect, Yuna hurried to finish eating before hobbling on her feet to put the dirty dishes away in the sink. Making sure to give each parent a kiss on the cheek, the sickly girl climbed the stairs to her room. Closing the door behind her, Yuna welcomed the cozy silence and privacy of her bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed, detaching a home phone from its resting place on her nightstand. Nervously she dialed Baralai's cell and counted the rings. Much to her relief, he answered.

"_Hello?"_

Yuna smiled, and spoke softly, "Hi, Baralai."

"_Yuna."_ She could feel the warm smile in his voice. _"Good evening. You sound better."_

"Thank you for, um, taking care of me," she said bashfully, fiddling with the cord of the phone, tightly twisting it in her finger. "It made me happy."

He gave a brief hum in response. The faint, slow tapping of a pencil resounded in the background. He must still be doing his homework. _"Are you well enough to go to school tomorrow?"_

"Maybe." Yuna shrugged, unraveling the cord once she began to lose feeling in her finger. Nervous, she shifted hold on the phone to her other hand and thoughtfully twirled a piece of her hair. "I hope so. I want to see you…"

"_Me, too." _Her heart skipped a beat.

"Baralai?"

"_Yes?" _

She clenched the phone in her hands tightly, biting the inside of her cheek, stalling. "Why did you come today?" she whispered, somewhat dreading his response. "I thought… you were still mad at me… about, you know…"

"_I'm not mad at you."_ She released a breath that she wasn't aware of holding. Because Baralai's anger, if given enough time and a reason, always evolved into grudges, which he would never let go. Yuna had feared this would be the same case for her, but if he wasn't angry at her, then who…?_ "Gippal is the one at fault. He's the one I should be planning to kill."_

"Baralai," Yuna chided, laughing, "You shouldn't joke about things like that, even if he does deserve it."

The boy smirked on the other end of the line, expertly spinning the pencil in his fingers, amused of her response. _"I think I'm starting to rub off on you."_

Mirth danced in her heterochromic blue-green eyes. "Well, that's what happens when you introduce me to Halo 3." The two laughed merrily for a few moments, before companionable silence fell between them. Yuna missed this. The long talks on the phone, the flirting, the sharing of feelings… everything…

Scrapping up the courage, Yuna cleared her throat and asked, "If there's no reason for you to be angry, can we…" She left the poignant question hang in the air, expecting Baralai to confirm it.

"_Sure,"_ he remarked nonchalantly, _"I think we've suffered enough. Don't you?"_

This was Yuna's first step back into a relationship with him on shaky ground, and vice versa. Who knew when something like this would happen again. The two mentally vowed not to repeat the same stupid mistake again, unless it came back in a different shape or form. Then, that's something to worry about.

"The chicken soup you made was delicious. Thank you for cooking it."

"_You liked it?"_

"Of course. I like anything you make. I can tell you put a lot of effort into it."

"_Maybe I should cook for you more often."_

"Okay," she said softly with a giddy smile, nibbling her lips indecisively. _Should I say it, or should I not…?_ "Then, after I finish eating your food…" she giggled coyly, "I'll eat you next." If Yuna could laugh evilly, she would have done so right then and there.

"_Yuna!"_

She could hear the furious blush in his tone, and couldn't help laughing despite her embarrassment for making such a suggestive comment. _Payback. _And just like that, the couple tentatively picked up from where they last left off.

* * *

**(A/N): **Ah, so sorry I couldn't finish sooner! I was kinda experiencing writer's block in the ending... Well, I had planned to finish the story here, but if you like I can lengthen the story. But I most likely won't unless you guys want to read more. If it does happen, I am thinking on changing the title and summary, before you wonder 'where is it? It was here just a second ago.'

Thanks for reading, and being patient for this update. :)


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